Switch-point protector



W. H. DOTTER April 20, 1926.

SWITCH PO INT PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 6; 1926 Patented Apr. 24.), 1926.

' insures UNITED PATENT OFFHCEL i WILLIAM HENRY DOTTER, OF CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FROG I SVVITGH AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-POINT PROTECTOR.

Application filed January 6, 1926.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, l VILLIAM HENRY Dor- TIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Point Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway switch points, the object of the invention being to provide a protector therefor by means of which the widened gauge of the track immediately ahead. of the standard switch point, heretofore present, is eliminated, since this improved protector fills in that opening of the track which causes such widened gauge and by means of which protector the switch point is also protected from the sudden shock which it receives when the gauge is too wide.

Heretofore when it has been desired to increase the longevity of the switch point it has been the practice to cut off the forward end of this standard switch point rail and then lit to this cut-off rail a point to complete the switch point, but as the main linerail is always bent ten to twelve inches ahead of the switch point in order to make it line with the switch point, this however causes a wide gauge ahead of the switch point.

In the present improvemnet however, the switch point is not cut off but the protector is applied to and projects beyond the standard switch point, and thus takes up theopening that has heretofore been present ahead of all switch points, and thus the present improvement results in a standard gauge and at the same time protects the switch point from the sudden shock which it re ceives when the gauge is too wide. By at taehing this. protector directly to the switch point, a switch point of unusual thickness, can be used of about seven-sixteenths of an inch as compared with the usual point, which is seldom more than one-eighth of an inch thick.

The object therefore of the present invention is the provision of an improved manganese steel protector for switch points, which is clamped to'the switch point and moves therewith but projects ahead of the standard switch point, thereby, filling .in the opening due to the bending of thestock rails and maintaining a standard gauge of Serial No. 79,508.

track, and at the same time protecting the switch point from sudden shocks.

It has also been at times the practice to attempt to protect the switch point by applying to the stock rail itself ahead of the switch point a protecting means, but in the present instance the protecting means is not applied to the stock rail but is carried by and PlOJGCtS ahead of the standard switch point and therefore moves with it.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a plan view of one rail of the main track and one of the switch rails adjacent thereto with this improved protector applied to the switch point; Fig. 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. .1 at the inside of the rail; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken online 11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 1s a cross sectional view taken on line of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with a part of the stock rail broken away and in section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the construction shown, only one of the main line or stock rails 2 and only one of the switch points 3 are shown, it being of course understood that these parts are duplicates of the companion main rail and switch point not shown.

The main line rail 2 and standard switch point 8 are of the usual construction and the main line rail 2 is bent as at 4 and the switch point terminates as at 5. The switch points are of course connected together by suitable rods and are operated bysuitable means connected with the bracket 6.

In the present inm-provement the switch is therefore not cut off, and therefore it terminates in the usual point 5. The protector 7 extends ahead of the switch point and has a rearwardly extending part or plate 8 fitting between the base flange and the head of the switch point or rail at the inside thereof, and is secured. riveted or bolted to the inside of the switch point by suitable bolts 9. This protector by reason of the fact that it extends ahead of the standard switch point, takes up the open ing that ordinaraly occurs between the end of the standard switch point and the main line rail, and preserves a standard gauge while at the same time it protects the switch point from sudden shock because of too wide guage, due to the opening hereinbefore referred to.

The construction of the protector head of the switch point is such that the base of the protector as 10 extends into or fits between the base flange 11 and the head 12 of the main rail (see for instance Fig. 5), while the top of the protector is of tapered or triangular form as at 18 where it is in juxtaposition to the head of the main rail, whereby the wheels of the train are properly guided, and this protector is made of heat-treated manganese steel, whereby long life thereof is insured.

Thus in the present improvement the manganese steel switch point protector has a rearwardly extending part which fits between the base flange and the head of the standard switch point, being clamped there to at the inside of such switch point, and a protecting part which forms a continuation of the standard switch point, and has a part which fits between the base flange and the head of the main rail, so that this switch point protector at one part fits between the base flange and head of the switch point, and at another part it fits between the base flange and head of the stock or main rail, while the top or tread surface of the protector is shaped to conform to the inner side of the head of the stock or main rail as at 13 thereby to properly guide the flange of the wheel to and over the switch point, this part 13 also generally conforming in shape to the tread or forward end of the standard switch point rail.

From the foregoing it will be thus observed that the durability and strength of the standard switch point is not in any way interfered with, since no part thereof is cut away for the purpose of adding an additional part thereto, but that this improved protector is applied to and'prolongs the, end

of the normal or standard switch point thereby protecting it and at the same time filling in the opening that would normally occur between the end of the standard switch point and the main rail, while at the same time, by reason of the rearend of the pro teeter extending between the base flange and the head of the switch point, this usually narrowed portion of the switch point is reinforced.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. The combination with a main rail and for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point and the main rail, the rear part of said protector extending rearwardly of the standard switch point and located between the base flange and the head thereof at the inner side of the switch point, and the forwardly extending part of said protector having a part located between the base flange and the head of the main rail and a part overlapping the side face of the main rail.

3. The combination with a main rail and a standard switch point rail terminating" in the usual pointed end, of a protector secured to and movable with such switch point rail and extending ahead of the point there of for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point and the main rail, the rear part of said protector extending rearwardly of the standard switch point and located between the base flange and the head thereof at the inner side of the switch point, and the forwardly extending part of said protector having a part located between the base flange and the head of the main rail and a triangularly shaped tread surfacp overlapping the side face of the main rai 4. The combination with a main rail and a standard switch point rail terminating in the usual pointed end, of a protector secured to and movable with such switch point rail and extending ahead of the point thereof for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point and the main rail, the rear part of said protector extends r ar y of h s a d d w t P n lit") 1,5a1,1oe

and located between the base flange and the head thereof at the inner side of the switch point, and the forwardly extending part of said protector having a part located between the base flange and the head of the main rail and a triangularly shaped tread surface overlapping the side face of the main rail and conforming in shape to the side face of the main rail.

5. The combination with a main rail and a standard switch point rail terminating in the usual pointed end, of a protector secured to and movable with such switch point rail and extending ahead of the point thereof for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point and the main rail, the rear part of said protector extending rearwardly of the standard switch point and located between the base flange and the head thereof at the inner side of the switch point, and the forwardly extending part of said protector having a part located between the base flange and the head of the main rail and a triangularly shaped tread surface overlapping the side face of the main rail and conforming in shape to the side face of the main rail and also conforming in shape to the forward pointed end of the standard switch point. r

6. The combination with a main rail and a switch point rail, said switch rail ter minating in a standard pointed end, of a protecting the same and filling the opening between the point of the standard switch point rail and the main rail.

8. The combination with a main rail and a switch point rail, said switch rail terminatingin a standard pointed end, of a protector of heat treated manganese steel also having a pointed end secured to and movable with such switch point rail and extending ahead of the point thereof for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point of the standard switch point rail and the main rail, said protecting point conforming in shape to the shape of the point of the switch point rail.

9. The combination with a main rail and a standard switch point rail terminating in the usual pointed end of a protector having a rearward extension located between the base flange and the head of the switch point rail and secured thereto for movement therewith and having a forward extension 3 'of the switch point rail for protecting the same and filling the opening between the point thereof and the main rail and comprising a part fitting between the base flange and the head of the main rail and a tread surface forming a continuation of the point of the switch rail.

Signed at Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, this 1th day of January, 1926.

WILLIAM HENRY DOTTER. 

